Josh Mahura of St. Albert was selected to Hockey Canada's summer U18 team for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, starting Monday in Breclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia. The Red Deer Rebel is one of seven defencemen on the 22-man roster featuring 12 Western Hockey League players.
Josh Mahura of St. Albert was selected to Hockey Canada's summer U18 team for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, starting Monday in Breclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia.
The Red Deer Rebel is one of seven defencemen on the 22-man roster featuring 12 Western Hockey League players.
The U18 team was finalized following a five-day selection camp that included daily practices and three Red/White intersquad games during the recent Hockey Canada's national team's summer showcase in Calgary
Canada plays Slovakia in today's pre-tournament game and in group A the seven-time reigning champions face-off against the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland.
Group B consists of Finland, Russia, Slovakia and the United States.
The semifinals are Aug. 14 and the final is Aug. 15.
Mahura, 17, the former captain of the bantam AAA St. Albert Sabres who spent his first season of midget at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, has experience in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence.
Last season, the six-foot, 178-pound Mahura recorded two goals, six assists, 20 penalty minutes and was minus-10 in 51 games for the Rebels, the host team for the 2016 Memorial Cup.
Mahura is eligible for the 2016 NHL entry draft.
Local athletes contributed to the second-place result by Zone 5 (Black Gold/Yellowhead) at the Alberta 55-Plus Summer Games last month in Strathmore.
The medal winners are as follows.
Slo-pitch: gold, men's 65-plus – Ray Foster, Ken Gallagher, Larry Gayle, Richard Houle, Brian Kupsch, Chester Perreault, Robert Reil, Earl Sloan, George St. Laurent, Jerry Wozniak; silver, men's 55-plus – Wayne Biggs, Steve Czekanski, Robert Franks, David Fraser, Robert Frey, David Gartner, Greg Mohs, James Monroe, Barry Properzi; silver, co-ed 55-plus – John Jansen, Alan Johnston, Gary Watt.
Pickleball: gold, women's 65-plus – Rosa Semenchuk; silver, men's 55-plus – Dale Kruhlak; bronze, mixed 65-plus – Mira and Terry Fenton.
Pool (8-ball): gold – Rudi Switala.
Zone 5 medal haul was 43 gold, 31 silver and 23 bronze.
More than 1,100 athletes 55 years and older from eight zones participated in 17 events.
The second annual St. Albert Shake Down, hosted by Face Down Entertainment, rocks the Woodlands Skateboard Park on Aug. 30.
The BMX and skateboard competition features beginner, amateur and advance levels of competitors.
To register online, visit www.facedownentertainment.com, or at the skate park Aug. 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. and Aug. 30 from 7 to 11 a.m.
The event starts at noon for the BMX and skateboard participants.
Food trucks and product tents of different companies will also be on site.
